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While the rest of the United States is still trying to determine the difference between alligators and crocodiles, Gulf Coast residents figured it out long ago: alligators are delicious. So tasty that their meat is commonplace in the region’s grocery stores and restaurants.
It also doesn’t hurt that the New Orleans archbishop categorizes the water-dwelling reptiles as seafood, adding a new ingredient to Lent’s Friday dinners.
Despite their popularity along the Gulf Coast, alligator dishes haven’t caught on in other parts of the country. At least not yet, said Mark Palicki, vice president of marketing for restaurant supplier Fortune Fish & Gourmet in Bensenville, IL. With whole-animal consumption and eco-friendly meats taking center stage as of late, alligator is poised to make its grand entrance. All it will take is one high-profile chef to focus on alligator, he said. “Then, other chefs will follow in abundance.”
So what’s the appeal of alligator meat?
A Familiar Flavor“Tastes like chicken” may be a cliché, but in the case of alligator meat, it’s pretty accurate. Some describe it as a brinier version of chicken, while others say it’s similar to pork. Mark said alligator’s flavor is akin to both meats but with a slightly tougher texture.
Low in Fat, High in ProteinAlligator’s flavor mimics chicken, but the meat’s nutritional content does not. Alligator is filled with significantly more protein than chicken and has less fat, Mark said. Plus, alligator’s fat is wrapped around its meat, making it easy to remove before cooking.
Culinary CreativityThe most common alligator dishes feature the meat breaded and fried into nuggets or ground into sausage. However, alligator meat can be used in most chicken recipes, whether that’s in the form of cutlets, nuggets, stews, or Mark’s favorite—kebabs. And don’t be afraid to use the reptile in its entirety. The most tender sections of alligators are the tail loins and jowls, but as long as the meat is properly tenderized, any cut can be used.
Alligator at Its BestIf Mark’s suggestions aren’t enough, there are plenty of alligator dishes at restaurants across the country to serve as inspiration.
New Orleans flavors fill the menu at Henry’s Louisiana Grill in Acworth, GA, with dishes such as hot-chili gator and alligator-tail po’ boys.For “real Nawlins food,” hit up New Orleans’ Jacques-Imo’s Cafe, whose self-proclaimed “lousy food” includes a savory shrimp and alligator-sausage cheesecake.Known for its exotic meats, Chicago’s Frontier serves fried alligator legs in a cayenne-maple reduction, gator scallopini, and even a whole roasted alligator stuffed with chicken.The chefs at Philadelphia’s Pattaya Grill award adventurous eaters with obscure Thai dishes, such as alligator stir-fry.The owner’s Yucatan background is evident throughout the offerings at Gilberth’s Rotisserie & Grill in San Francisco, including the tacos de lagarto, made with grilled alligator, fresh avocado, and two kinds of salsa.Check out some related reads:The Best Places to Eat a Whole AnimalFrom suckling pig to roasted alligator, these restaurants offer some of the nation’s best nose-to-tail dishes.The Spectacle and the Savagery of Roasted PigOnce exclusively reserved for luaus and Shriners’ summer picnics, pig roasts are now entering the fine-dining arena. We take a look at the experience from the point of view of the chefs who prepare the roasted pigs and the diners who dig in.

“I'm not the kind of guy who's going to say ... ‘I only buy local ingredients,’” said Ryan McCaskey, the chef and founder of Chicago’s Michelin-starred Acadia. Instead, the James Beard Award–nominated chef sources many of his ingredients from Maine—and even sources his salmon from New Zealand.In so doing, he’s bucking the burgeoning farm-to-table trend. Chefs like Rick Bayless, Paul Kahan, and Paul Virant—three local luminaries who McCaskey thinks “do it right”—brought the locavore movement to Chicago’s attention. The simultaneous uptick in Chicago farms, especially on the South Side, have made local sourcing increasingly doable.McCaskey, though, hasn’t been converted. He views the local food movement as “a little bit of a double-edged sword.” We chatted about what he views as farm-to-table food movements’ pros and cons.Pro: Farm-to-table reminds him of his time in Maine.He called the state his “second home”—before opening Acadia, he honed his culinary skills at Goose Cove Lodge in Deer Isle—and the lifestyle there centered on local food. That meant daily markets, and “the produce and the food that you get in the local store comes from a farm down the street. [Often] people just come and knock on your door with fresh eggs, fresh chicken, some cheese they made.”McCaskey added, “We didn’t really think about it like, this is a trend. That’s how you live.” (He lived this lifestyle in '90s Maine but said it still endures to this day.)Pro: Local food can have a mysterious X-factor.McCaskey spent the year before his restaurant opened in “very remote parts of Africa.” Even eating three square meals a day, he ended up losing 15 pounds on his travels. “I ate like normal,” he said, still a little bewildered as to how it happened. He has a theory, though: “There’s nothing in their food. There’s no hormones, no weird sprays.” While he knows those non-organic touches are meant to protect consumers, he also hypothesizes that they make American food heavier than African meals.Pro: It’s “the way food should be.” McCaskey elaborated that to him, that means “less manipulated, in it's purest form, you know."Con: It's trendy.And McCaskey is skeptical of trends.“I'm not a big guy on trends and fads, really. Except for our ramen, I think everything else we do I just do it because I want to do it.”Con: Buzzwords can be a marketing ploy.McCaskey thinks that some chefs use words like “organic,” “local,” and “sustainable” to be viewed part of the Bayless cohort mentioned in the intro. “But they just can’t be, in my opinion,” McCaskey added. To be part of that cohort takes talent as well as sourcing savvy. Con: Quality matters more than location.“I just try to find the best,” McCaskey said. He elaborated that while mushrooms might grow in his backyard, he wouldn’t use them over more flavorful ones flown in from Florida.Con: Thoughtful sourcing should be assumed.“I know exactly where pretty much everything comes from on our menu,” McCaskey said. (He even knows the exact hill his blueberries grown on!) “But the thing is, I don't need to use it as a marketing tool because ... people just assume it's going to be really great product. People coming to eat at our restaurant, nobody I think would say, ‘Oh, they're using lesser grade eggs’ or something.”Top photo courtesy of Acadia RestaurantRead more from award-winning chefs:Sean Brock's three key tenets to Southern cookingJoanne Chang's five essential baking tools

Every time chef Emeril Lagasse says “Bam!”, he wins a new culinary award. Or at least, that’s how it can seem. The star chef has won a James Beard Award, an Ivy Award, and been featured in a Smithsonian exhibit. It’s no wonder he runs 10+ restaurants, is always on TV, and typically just goes by “Emeril”—a trick previously reserved for Madonna.During our chat with him, in celebration of Groupon's Summer Tastes, we discovered one of Emeril’s rare non-culinary secrets: he’s a great storyteller. Check out a selection of his stories and snacking secrets below.GROUPON: You first started learning to cook from your mom, Hilda. What did she teach you that you still use today?EMERIL: Calde verde soup. It’s a Portuguese kale soup that is still an essential in my house. My kids ask me all the time to make it and it always brings back a lot of memories. Soups in general are incredibly comforting to me and remind me of my mom and early days cooking together.G: Who is a celebrity, in the food world or outside of it, who’s made you starstruck?E: Julia Child had me starstruck the first time we met. She is a culinary icon who was one of my first mentors. I was working at the Parker House when I first met her. She came in unannounced and wanted me to cook for her. I could definitely feel the pressure but was honored to be able to cook for her.G: What’s a not-super-healthy indulgence you’ll never give up?E: Potato chips, in particular plain Zapp’s potato chips. And they are the best when they are frozen.G: Through your foundation, you do a lot of work with disadvantaged kids. What’s the most surprising thing they’ve taught you about “kids these days”?E: Kids are very resilient and inherently have a positive attitude. I find it so rewarding to help provide tools and resources and empower kids to follow their passions. It’s about helping kids create lasting habits to take with them in whatever endeavors they explore. Kids these days have so many options and opportunities but we have to help them achieve a strong foundation and confidence in order for them to realize these potentials.G: When you’re in New Orleans and not at your own restaurants, what are some of your favorites to dine at?E: New Orleans has so many new restaurants and dining options. Some of my staples that I always go back to are The Galley Seafood (they have a killer seafood boil), Pho Tau Bay (they are currently in the process of relocating, but they serve the best Vietnamese I’ve ever had), and Domilise’s Poboy’s (best poboys in the city).G: What’s an easy way to “kick up” a meal?E: Visit your local wine store and have your wine merchant suggest pairings that will go well with the dishes you’ve selected. This will elevate the meal to more of an event. (Another good trick is to finish savory dishes with a light sprinkling of flaky sea salt or fresh herbs.)G: What is a kitchen tool that most home cooks don’t have, but should?E: A Japanese mandoline. These are inexpensive, easy to store, don’t take up too much space, and allow you to make paper thin slices and/or perfectly uniform julienne of vegetables and fruits.